1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to formatting media for use with media terminals in accessing the media.
2. Background Art
In the cable television environment, and other environments wherein electronic media is transported from one location to another, video, data, information, and other electronically transmissible messages may be transported according to any number of protocols, formats, standards, etc. Typically, the formatting associated with the media transmission is adapted to correspond with a media terminal used to interface and otherwise support user interaction with the media.
In the cable television environment, for example, video/television signal transmission formats, such as but not limited to MPEG-AVC (H.264), define a wide variety of tools that can be used to support the delivery of a wide variety of media types and formats. There are also a wide variety of special purpose coding tools that were developed for very specific applications, such as but not limited to tools to aid in the efficient coding of video conference material while other tools are more effective for broadcast television related content. To support all the tools available on the encoding side, requires that all the same tools be available on the decoding side.
There is a natural cost of complexity for both encoder and decoders, or other transmission pairs, i.e. media source and media terminal, to include unnecessary tools or capabilities for any given application. Not all services will necessarily benefit from all available tools. Therefore both encoders and decoders are being designed more cost effectively by omitting certain tools or coding profiles for certain markets. Standards processes to constrain or limit the required tools or profiles are being used to facilitate a common minimum set of tools or profiles for transmission pairs.
However such a constraint cannot foresee future business opportunities or competitive forces that may be better supported with additional tools or profiles. If the constraints are set too low, it precludes new business opportunities and unduly restrains the deployment of new services or technology. If the constraints are set too high, it adds unnecessary costs to the encoders and decoders for services that may not be deployed for years if at all. If receivers are deployed with the original set of constraints, they become a legacy that would not be able to support new capabilities needed to remain competitive.